a/n- Thank you everyone who reviewed. I love you guys and I hope you like this chapter.

Battle of the Wills

Chapter 1: I Don't Want To

Kaoru sighed as the school bell rang signaling the end of the day. She put her hands in her jean pockets and fiddled with a folded piece of paper inside one of them. It was her reminder to meet up with Miss Megumi and Kenshin that day around that time.

'I doubt Mrs. Taka really wants me and red head to meet today.' Kaoru thought sourly. Just as she rounded the corner to one of the school exists, the sight of three teachers standing guard caught Kaoru's attention.

They all stood at the door eyeing each of the students that walked by. Careful as to not miss one child. Kaoru quickly ducked back around the corner and muttered a curse under her breath.

"No big deal. I'll just try the other exist." Kaoru said to herself as she calmed down a bit and headed for the school exist in the cafeteria.

But as soon as Kaoru got there she was disappointed again to discover that the doors were blocked off yet again by teachers. Kaoru silently growled and turned to were the gymnasium was.

'She's really pushing it.' Kaoru thought heading to the gym.

Ms. Taka was really starting to annoy her. How much trouble does one person go to ensure that some high school kid follows out their punishment? Obviously someone who revolved their life around terrorizing teenagers.

As Kaoru made it to the gym doors up ahead she could make out the frame of Kenshin.

"Just who I wanted to see." She said sarcastically to herself.

Hearing something behind him Kenshin turned around to see Kaoru coming.

"So I guess your slow tail finally figured out that the doors were all blocked." Kenshin stated enjoying immensely as Kaoru's face pinched up in anger.

"What does that say about you standing outside the gym door and it is open." Kaoru said walking up to the door and pulling it open.

"How about delaying the enviable?" Kenshin responded narrowing his eyes. "Either way how is that going to look to Ms. Megumi coming to our practice late with you right behind me. The embarrassment!" Kaoru said entering, Kenshin following behind her.

"Shut up Kamiya." Kenshin said his amber eyes flaring. "You're not that much of a prize yourself." He added.

"Better than you." Kaoru countered smiling at the glare Kenshin sent her.

"Hey love birds you're late!" Ms. Megumi yelled from the center of the gym floor.

Kenshin and Kaoru's heads snapped up at the comment.

'Love birds! NEVER!" Kaoru thought as she made a sick face. 'She must be joking. There's no way in hell we're even close to that.' Kenshin thought going pale.

"Megumi-dono I do believe you are confused." Kenshin said in his "innocent" mask of angel student.

"Oh don't give me that act Himura-kun you know I know better." Megumi said crossing her arms.

Megumi was a woman in her late 20's who was built tall and slender. She had beautiful long black hair that she had worn down that day and lovely black eyes. From her presence grace and elegance emanated.

"I believe I had a reminder note sent to both of you this morning saying to meet me here at 4:15 sharp this afternoon. It is now….4:32. That's 7 minutes wasted." Megumi said looking at her wrist watch.

"Woo hoo! 7 minutes gone already." Kaoru mumbled.

"Excuse me what was that Kamiya?" Megumi snapped. "Um nothing ma'am." Kaoru replied quickly.

"Aside from my talents at the school being nurse and dance instructor here, I have developed quite the hearing range." She warned as she turned around to pick up some sheets of paper off of a blue mat laid out on the floor.

"Well now if we're all done playing games it's time to get serious." Megumi stated in a more relaxed tone as she smiled and handed both Kenshin and Kaoru a piece of paper.

"These are important dates on your calendar reminding you of practice dates and future competitions." She explained.

"But according to this the next competition isn't for another few weeks." Kaoru said flipping the paper reading both sides.

"Lets us hope that you and Himura then know how to make with the happy; otherwise I already have the official entry papers filled out waiting to be sent in." Megumi said unmoved by Kaoru's observation.

"And how long will we have to produce this happy?" Kenshin asked raising an eyebrow.

Megumi placed a finger to her chin in thought. "Hmm….I would say you both have about…2 weeks to come up with the happy, otherwise I can tell the committee a week in advanced that we are entering." Megumi finally answered.

"Well that shouldn't be too hard…" Kenshin said silently.

"Well easy for you to say. There are two people involved in this. It depends of your lovely assistant if she is willing to cooperate or not with you dear boy." Megumi reminded.

Kenshin looked over at Kaoru who had her eyes furrowed in astonishment of the carefully thought out calendar.

"And what if we have conflicts with some of the dates on these things?" Kaoru asked looking up at Megumi. "Eliminate the conflicts. I'll tell you this you'll have no more than a 10 minute grace period to make it to practice if the reason is good. Otherwise you're going to have to work it out some how." Megumi answered sitting down in a chair before the mat.

"But that's not fair! I have Kendo classes after school on some of the days I have to be here."

"Bingo Ms. Kamiya you just said exactly my point! You have to be here. You signed a contract in Ms. Taka's office and it binds you to my practices as mandatory." Megumi said.

'She stuck me again!' Kaoru thought angrily. Megumi watched as the anger swept across Kaoru's face.

"Next time read the fine print." Ms. Megumi stated. "Any more questions about the calendar? If not we can move on."

Kaoru and Kenshin didn't say anything. Inside in their heads they fumed silently over each personal issue already gained from this ordeal. Megumi eyed the two then suddenly her face lit up with excitement as she clapped her hands together.

"No more? Wonderful! Now we can get down to the dancing part!" 'Oh goody.' Both teenagers thought, no where near how excited their instructor was.

"Now you know since this is your first day I'll be nice and not let you practice, but tomorrow is a whole-other ball park. Despite what Mrs. Taka may have had you sign in her office there is a little flaw in the contract."

At hearing the word flaw both teenagers' faces perked up hoping the 'little flaw' was really something good.

"Instead of partnering up every time you two, in the privacy of our designated rehearsal time, will dance with two of my top dancers in class. They are forbidden to mention anything about the rehearsal to further devastate what 'reputation' you have. Plus they are very compatible with you I promise." Megumi finished, doing the air quotes when she said reputation.

For a moment Kenshin and Kaoru were happy hearing that they didn't have to partner up each time. But then their happiness was shot down again as Ms. Megumi told them about how they would be paired off with one of her students.

'This isn't fair. This just isn't fair at all.' Kaoru thought shaking her head. 'At least they are forbidden from mentioning this.' Kenshin noted angrily as he looked off to his side with a scowl on his face.

Ms. Megumi looked back and forth between the two and confusion washed over her face.

"What's the matter you guys? I thought that would a good thing. I haven't mentioned your names to my students yet so I can tell them to forget it and go by what Mrs. Taka has." Megumi said in a rather calm voice, knowing they wouldn't refuse then.

"NO! … I mean, no Ms. Megumi please. They'll be just fine. Me and Himura can deal. RIGHT Himura?" Kaoru quickly replied as she elbowed Kenshin in his stomach. Kenshin coughed a bit and glared at Kaoru before answering.

"Yeah, yeah what she said."

Megumi half smiled not expecting her reply to come out like that. 'What did I sign myself up for?'

"Well…um…then since we're done with the introductions and what have you, you may leave. See you tomorrow!" Miss Megumi said smiling.